DeYoung Natural Area

The 145-acre natural area is located just outside of Traverse City, along both sides of Cherry Bend Road. On the Cedar Lake side, you will pass the iconic old barn on your way to the trailhead. From the open field you will enter mature cedar forest and follow the winding path to the shore of Cedar Lake. A platform extends out into the lake, providing a great place for fishing and observing wildlife. The preserve has nearly one mile of shoreline along the west side of the lake. The TART trail runs through this area of the property near the lake. 

On the other side of Cherry Bend Road, a new trail system takes you through farmland, forest, and over a small stream. Sections of the trail skirt agricultural fields that continue to be farmed. A nice vista of the farm fields and Cedar Lake can be enjoyed from the trailhead off of Strang Road.